Carton



Sept. 30, 1958 w. c. SMITH 2,854,181

CARTON Filed Feb. 5, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 A u 5 55: 5 n

m. 2 M U m. H. .H T H. .....H.....

W. C. SMITH Sept. 30, 1958 CARTON 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 5, 1954Sept. 30, 1958 w. c. SMITH 2,854,181

CARTON Filed Feb. 5, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 W. C. SMITH Sept. 30, 1958CARTON 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 5, 1954 United States Patent CARTONWilliam C. Smith, Chicago, 11]., assignor to W. C. Ritchie and Company,Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application February 5, 1954,Serial No. 408,396

3 Claims. (Cl. 229-27) The present invention relates generally to cartonassemblies, and more particularly to carton assemblies having an innercompartment disposed within the outer carton assembly.

The present invention provides carton assemblies which are reinforced atthe base of the carton to provide a support for a bottle, tube, or otherarticle in such a way that an accidental opening of the bottom flap ofthe carton will not permit the contents of the carton to drop out.

In a preferred form of the invention, a carton having two compartmentsis provided, one inside the other, and one or both of the compartmentsis provided with a support member on which the base of the articlecontained in that compartment is received. This support member isindependent of the base of the canton itself and provides adequatesupport for the article even if the bottom of the carton is accidentallyopened. This structure is of particular usefulness for packagingarticles of different sizes, as for example, two bottles of differentheights or a bottle and a tube of different sizes. In packaging articlesof this nature, the smaller of the two articles is inserted in thecompartment having the aforementioned base support so that when thecarton is opened from the top, the tops of the two articles are at thesame level, facilitating the removal of each from the carton.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved cartonassembly containing a support for supporting the base of fragilearticles contained in the carton, the support being separate from theflaps making up the bottom closure for the carton.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compartmented carton forholding articles of different sizes and in which a base support isprovided for one of the articles to prevent injury to the article uponaccidental opening of the base of the carton.

A still further object of the invention is to provide carton assemblieswhich can be readily manufactured from available materials on cartonfolding machines, which cartons have the aforementioned features.

Another object is the provision of improved blanks for making cartons inaccordance with the foregoing objects.

A further description of the present invention will be made inconnection with the attached sheets of drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank used in the formation of a cartonaccording to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the blank after its initial folding,illustrating the condition in which the folded blank, may be shipped toa packaging station;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an end view of the folded carton set up with the bottomflaps opened to illustrate the construction of the supporting wall;

Figure 5 is a plan view of a blank for forming another carton inaccordance with the present invention; and

Figure6 is a view, in perspective, partially broken away to illustratethe structure formed from the blank shown in Figure 5.

In Figure 1, reference numeral 7 indicates generally a blank which maybe composed of paper board or similar carton making material. The blankwhen set up forms an outer compartment 8 and an inner compartment 9, asshown in Figure 4. For these purposes, the blank is formed into a seriesof contiguous panels including a first panel 11, which ultimately formsthe rear panel of the outer compartment, a second panel 12, which formsone of the side panels for the outer compartment, a third panel 13,which forms the front panel of the completed outer compartment, and afourth panel 14, which forms another side panel for the completedcarton.

As indicated in Figure 1, the first panel 11 is divided from the secondpanel 12 by means of a score line 16, the second panel 12 from the thirdpanel 13 by means of a score line 17, and the third panel 13 from thefourth panel 14 by a score line 18.

The first panel 11, at its upper and lower ends, is scored withhorizontally extending score lines 19 and 21, respectively, andoutwardly spaced score lines 22 and 23 provide a top and a bottom 24 and26 for the completed carton. A flap 27 extends from the top 24 whichflap may be inserted behind the front panel 13, the folding of the flapbeing facilitated by the provision of a pair of slits 28 extending alongthe score line 22. Similarly, the bottom 26 is provided with a flap 29which may be received behind the front panel 13, and the bottom is alsoprovided with slits 31 to facilitate folding of the flap 29.

The first panel 11, at its extreme marginal edge, may be coated along alimited area 32 with an adhesive, for a purpose which will hereafterbecome apparent.

The second and fourth panels 12 and 14, which be come sides of the outercompartment 8, each have tuck flaps 33 and 34 at the top end and tuckflaps 36 and 37 at the bottom end. These fiaps cooperate with the top 24and bottom 26 of the completed carton in the conventional manner.

Adjoining the fourth panel 14 is a series of three contiguous panels,which define the inner compartment when the carton is set up, includinga first inner compartment panel 33, which is separated from the panel 14along a score line 39, a second inner compartment panel 41, which isseparated from the panel 38 by a score line 42, and a third innercompartment panel 43, separated from the panel 41 along a score line 44.The panels 38, 41, and 43 provide the rear, side and a portion of thefront panel of the inner compartment 9, respectively, when the carton isfolded in the manner to be described. Panel 14 is common to the outercompartment '8 and inner compartment 9, this panel providing a side wallfor each compartment.

A base support for articles enclosed within the inner compartment 8 ofthe completed carton is provided by an extension 46 which is supportedfrom the blank only along a score line 47, the latter being alongitudinal extension of the score line 44 between inner compartmentpanels 41 and 43,-thereby carrying the extension on the third innercompartment panel 43. The score line 47 should be more resistant tofolding than the score line 44. This can be done by varying the depthsof the scores or other equivalent ways. When this is done, the extension46 more readily positions itself when the carton is set up.

As shown in Figure 1, the extension 46 is provided by foreshortening thesecond inner compartment panel 41 a predetermined amount by cuttingalong line 49 into the first inner compartment panel 38. The length ofthe cut is equivalent to the diagonal distance across the bottom of theinner compartment 9. The other side of the extension 46 is provided bycutting the panel 38 out! wardly along line 51. At the point of junctureof cut lines 49 and 51, designated 52 in the drawings, the extension isrounded so as to facilitate positioning of the extension 46 when the boxis set up.

It will be seen that as the blank is folded into a compartmentedstructure, when the. panels 38, 41, and 43 defining the innercompartment 9, the extension 46 is caused to extend diagonally acrossthe inner compartment thus formed. This structure is best illustrated inFigure 4 of the drawings.

The carton may be assembled from the blank shown in Figure 1 in thefollowing manner. The series of three inner compartment panels 38, 41,and 43 may be folded over from right to left, as viewed in Figure 1, sothat the outer face of panel 43 is in contact with an area on y thethird panel 13, designated at 54 on the drawings,

where an adhesive strip may be applied to secure the panel 43 to theinner surface of the panel 13.v When this folding takes place, theextension 46 automatically locates itself diagonally across thecompartment 56 formed by the folding operation. The folding may then beresumed to form the outer compartment 8 by folding the panels 11 and 12from left to right, as viewed in Figure l, and then securing the innersurface of the panel 11 (as shown in Figure l) to the outer surface ofpanel 38 (as shown in Figure 4) along the adhesive strip 32.

The panel, after folding and gluing, is readily collapsible into aflattened unit which can be packaged and shipped to the place where thecompleted carton is to be filled with bottles or other merchandise to bepackaged. The collapsed condition of the carton is illustrated inFigures 2 and 3 of the drawings. As evidenced from an inspection ofFigure 3, the extension 46, in collapsed condition, is disposed betweenthe panel 11 and the panel 14 so that the presence of the extension 46does not contribute materially to the bulk of the carton in itscollapsed condition. Furthermore, since in collapsed condition theextension 46 overlies the-panel 11, extension is forced diagonallyacross the inner compartment when it is set up.

A modified and simplified form of the invention is illustrated inFigures and 6 of the drawings. In Figure 5 there is illustrated a blank60composed of six contiguous panels. The first of these panels, labeled61, is of considerably less height than the remaining panels and, in thefolded condition of the carton, provides a support for the fragilearticle to be packaged in the carton. This panel is of greater widththan the other panels and its width is equivalent to the diagonaldistance across the bottom of the carton. In case the carton is intendedfor use with a tube, the panel 61 may be notched, as indicated at 62, toprovide a seat for the base of the tube and prevent its rotation withinthe carton.

The panel 61 is separated along a score line 63 from a second panel 64which forms one of the rear walls of the completed carton. The panel 64is adjacent to a third panel 66 which becomes a side wall, and isseparated therefrom by a score line 67. The panel 66 at its oppositeendsis provided with a pair of tuck flaps 68 1 1 '1 and 69 separated fromthe panel 66 along transversely extending core. 1ines71 and 72-.

The fourth panel 73 of the blank provides the front wall for thecompleted carton, and this panel is separated from the third panel 66 bya score line 74. The fifth panel 76, which forms a second sidewall,adjoins the front panel 73 and is separated from that panel by a scoreline 77. The panel 76 also has a pair of opposed tuck flaps 78 and 79defined by a pair of transversely extending score lines 81 and 82. Theseflaps 78 and 79 cooperate with the flaps 68 and 69 to provide endclosures for the completed carton as best seen in Figure 6 of thedrawings.

The sixth panel 83 extends from the fifth panel 76 along a score line84. Transvctsely extending score lines 86 and 87 define a top 88' and abase 89 for the completed a t n an uck flaps an 9 ar attached, ereto oclose the ca ton in the sual ma er- T tuck flap 90 is separated from thetop 88 along a score line 92 and slits 93, which facilitate folding,while the flap 91 is separated from the base 89 along a score line 94and slits 96.

In folding the carton, the panel 61 is folded inwardly of the blank andthe panels are folded in the usual a n rto Pr i e a re aa ula enc u e nga d9 ble thickness rear panel provided by overlying panels 64 a d. 3-UPQn f d n th Pa 1 will l f diagonally acoss the base of the carton, asshown in Fig: e o pr vide a bas sur g nde d n f e ba of he c r n- Wi hhis rr n e n e ta openn of t fl p w not r p t e n i e ou o the cart na smb ras it i ad a atelv supported in pos in al n h top s rfa of the pan l6 The panels are conveniently secured together by apply: ins adh i bween the s rfa s o Pa l 64 n 3,

T e rhewn in i u e ma e col psed and e u pan l 61 il automati ly e te da qss the carton so that the carton may be filled.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the cartons of;

e p sen in enti n pro de a s mp b fiec emeans for supporting a fragilecontainer in the folded carton. In the case of cartons having more thanone carton, the se p qr m s pr id d also Provide a n eni n means. f Paagin o a ti les o d f er sizes.

' It will be appre i te that ar ous m ca ion can e made in the describest uc ures wi ho t d pa ing from the scope of the present in en ion:

I claim:

A ton assem ly com r s a fr m p l, a r ar panel, and a pair of sidepanels defining an outer come partment, three contiguous panelsconnected to said outer compartment and defining a rectangular inner,compartw ment with one of said walls defining said outer comparte ment,said inner compartment being within said outer compartment, the middlepanel and one other of said contiguous panels being severed along a lineextending generally perpendicular to the lines of abutment of saidcontiguous panels. to provide an extension from the third contiguouspanel which is foldable into a position di-. agonally across said innercompartment thereby providing a support for an article placed withinsaid inner compartment, the length of said extension being such thatsaid extension is locked in the corner defined by the panel common tothe inner and outer compartment.

2. A carton assembly comprising a front panel, a rear panel, and a pairof side panels defining'an outer compartment, three contiguous panelsfolded inwardly of one of said panels of said outer compartment todefine an inner compartment within said outer compartment, the outermostpanel of said three panels being secured to an opposed panel definingsaid outer compartment, the middle panel and the innermost panel-of saidthree panels being severed along a line spaced from the base of saidpanels to provide an extension foldable ,into a position diagonallyacross said inner compartment thereby providing a support for an articleplaced within said inner compartment, the length of said extension beingsuch that said extension is locked in the corner defined by the panelcommon to the inner and outer compartment and the contiguous panel ofthe outer compartment.

3. A carton assembly comprising a plurality of integrally connectedpanels defining an outer generally rectangular tubular compartment, andan inner generally rectangular tubular compartment of lesser heightdisposed Within said outer compartment, all of said panels forming saidouter compartment being of substantially equal height, and one of saidpanels forming said inner compartment being provided With an integralextension disposed diagonally across one end of said inner compartmentto engage a corner of said outer compartment to 15 6 thereby reduce theheight of said inner compartment and to provide a support for an articleplaced within said inner compartment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNiTED STATES PATENTS2,442,699 Locke June 1, 1948 2,507,929 Pennebaker May 16, 1950 2,609,136Sider Sept. 2, 1952 2,611,529 Currivan Sept. 23, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS241,097 Great Britain Oct. 15, 1925 UNITED STATES PATENT oTTTcEQERHFICATE @F @QRREQTWN Patent No 2,854,181 September 30, 1958 WilliamCo Smith It is herebfl certified that error appears in the-printedspecificatio: of the above numbered patent requiring correction and thatthe said Letter: Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4, line 64, after "compartment" and before the period insert andthe first inner compartment panel column 5, line 5, strike out "and thecontiguous panel of the outer compartment" and insert instead m and thefirst inner compartment panel Signed and sealed this 24th day ofFebruary 1959.

( SEAL) Attest:

KARL H. AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON Commissioner of Patents AttestingOflicer

